Printing machine



Fl). l0, 1931. J. DUNCAN ET Al.

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1927 l5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 10, 1931. s. DUNCAN ET AL l5792,15()

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

www

Feb l0, 1931- J. s. DUNCAN ET AL 14,792,150

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1927 5 .Sheets-Sheet 3 PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1927 Feb. l0, 1931. J. s. DUNCAN ET AL PRINTING MACHINE Patented Feb. l0, 1931 UNITED STATES! PATENT ol-Fics JOSEPH s. DUNCAN AND HENRY E. nunnAnnpr CHICAGO, ILLiNoIs, AssIGNons, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro ADnREssoenArn COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A

CORPORATION F DELAWARE PRINTING MACHINE Application led August 12, 1927. Serial No. 212,425.

This invention relates to printing machines in which address or other printing devices are fed one at' a time from the bottom of a stack to printing position, and it more particularly relates to mechanisms for feeding magazines or other articles to be afldressed one at a time to printing position in the machine. Y

Heretofore 'the magazines have been fed into the machine by hand or they have been fed into the machine automatically from a stack piled adjacent the receiving end of the machine. The hand feeding operation is expensive and requires one or more' operators for each machine; yand the stack feeding operation is subject 'to the objections that more than one magazine is sometimes fed at a time into the machine causing parts to jamb and preventing all the magazinesfrom being properly rinted.

The obJect of the present invention is to provide new and novel feeding mechanism which will automatically feed only one magazine into the machine at a time and which will be positive and constant in` operation.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient means for conveying the magazines to the receiving end of the machine and comprising traveling chains which are intermittently propelled.

Another object of the invention is to control the magazine feed by printing device selector means so that a magazine will not be fed into the machine if a printing device to be printed is not fed into printing position in vthe machine.

A further object is to provide novelmeans which will feed the magazines to printing position after they are carried to the receiv# ing end of the machine by the chain feed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail plan view of the receiving end of the machine showing the feeding mechanism. o

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a detail rear elevation partly in section vshowing the feed operating mechanism and the selector mechanism which controls feed mechanism.

Figs.- 4 and 5 are detail sectional views taken longitudinally through the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing the sucker bar partly in section.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the sucker bar and some of the connecting parts.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates a suitable supporting frame upon which is mounted a drive power shaft`2 driven in any `suitable manner such as by an electric motor (not shown). A gear 3 is fastened to this shaft and it meshes with another gear 4 which is mounted on and drives the cam shaft 5.

Suitable cams 6 and 7 are fixed tothe cam shaft and operate cam levers 8 and 9 which are pivotally mounted on a stub shaft 10, Figs. land 4. The cam lever 8 reciprocates the linger bar 11 while the caml lever 9 reclprocates the sucker bar 12. Fingers 13 are ired to the linger bar and reciprocate therewith to prevent more than one magazine from being ulled into the machine at one time.

A gripper roll rocker 14 is loosely mounted o nthe gripper roll rocker shaft 15 and carries a short shaft 16 upon which the gripper `rollers 16 are mounted. The gripper roll rocker is reciprocated by means of a lever 19 carrying a roller 2O which rides on the cam 21 iixedto the cam shaft. A gear 17 on the cam shaft 5 forms part of a train of gearing 18 which rotates the feed shaft 23 continually whilethe machine is in operation. Feed rollers 24 are flxedly mounted on the feed shaft 23 and protrude upwardly through slots 25 in the feed shelf 26't0 engage the magazine to be fed. a v

A sucker `bar 12 is loosely mounted in the frame and is reciprocated by the cam lever 9, which is connected to the sucker bar by a link 28. The frame of the machine is cut away as at 27, Figs. 4 and 5, to allow for the reciprocal movement of the sucker bar. The sucker bar is hollow and connects withI a suitable compressor (not shown) through the pneumatic valve 29 and pipe 30 as clearly shown in Fig. 7 Openings or ports 31 in the I e e i y sucker bar allow for suction to suck a magazine and pull it into the machine where it is then placed on driven belts 32 and carried to' printlng position.

A chain feed shaft 33 is located in front of the feed roller shaft and carries a plurality of sprockets 34. This shaft is rotated by a ratchet 35 which is fixed to one end thereof. Endless chains 36 are arranged on these sprockets and connect the cham feed shaft with another shaft (not shown) to move-the chain alongthe table 37 and carry magazines which are stacked thereon as shown in Fig.` 3 to feeding position.

A bell crank 38 is loosely mounted on the chain feed shaft 33 and carries mechanism to rotate this shaft. One arm, Fig. 3, of the bell crank has a stud 40 fixed thereto to which one end of a link 41 is pivotally connected. The other end of this link is pivotally connected to a stud 42 fastened to the ear 4. -A pawl 43 is pivotally connected to t e arm 44 of the bell crank foroperating the ratchet 35. A sprin 45 has one end connected to the pawl an the other connected to a lug 46 on the bell crank for normally holding the pawl against the ratchet.

The cam shaft 5 has a cam 47, Fig. 6, rigidly fastened thereto which operates against a roller 48 mounted on a'cam lever 49 to reciprocate the cam lever. The upper end of the cam leveris pivotally connected to the 4feed control rocker 50 and reciprocates the same. A spring 51 normally holds the'cam lever in operative position against the cam.

The lower end of the cam lever 49 has a rod 52 connected thereto which connects with a cam 53 loosely mounted on the chain feed shaft adjacent the ratchet 35 and the pawl 43. This cam is reciprocated by the cam lever and is adapted to ride under a pin 43 extending outwardly from the pawl. The purpose of this cam is to hold the pawl away from the ratchet at certain predetermined intervals.

The feed control rocker 50 has downwardly A disposed feed control fingers 54 rigidly connected thereto and against which a magazine strikes as it is beingv fed into the machine. Pressure against these lingers causes movement of the feed control rocker which is transmitted to the cam lever 49. When the feed control rocker is moved inwardly, the roller 48 is moved a short distance away from the cam 47 so that the cam only works on the roller at certain points and gauges the distance the cam 53 is to travel in operating the pawl. When the feed control fin ers are moved inwardly substantially the ull distance of this inward travel, the roller 48 is entirely removed from the cam 47 and no movement is transmitted to the cam 53, the pawl is held away from the ratchet. To prevent a magazine from pushing the feed control fingers too far inwardly and prevent action of the pawl on the ratchet, a plurality of downwardly disposed sto fin ers 55 are fixed on the frame in front oflthe ceding end of the machine to limit this feed of the magazines so that the pawl may be free to work the ratchet thus assurin proper feed of magazines into the mac ines. WhenI the magazlnes are fed staggeredly into the machine as shown in Fig. 3, and while the feed control rocker reciprocates, the feed control fingers determine the movement of the cam `53 which controls the movement of the chain feed shaft for gau 'ng the proper movement of the chains so t at the magazines will be continuously and properly fed into the machine. i

The sucker bar must necessarily be timed so that on its forward movement there is a suction in the bar for assisting in pulling the magazine into the machine and then release the magazine at 'the proper time by shutting olf the suction. To accomplish this result the pneumatic valve 29, Fig. 7, is made cylindrical and has a plurality of openings or slits 56 arranged in the bottom thereof for regulat-y ing the suction. The valve casing in framel l is also cylindrical so that the valve is free tol turn or oscillate therein. During the forward reciproca-tion of the sucker bar the openings 56 1n the valve are in line with the opening in the 1pipe 30 and form a clear passage to the suc er bar. Upon return movement of the sucker bar, the slots are covered by the casing and the suction is shut olf, thereby causing the sucker bar to release its grip on the magazine.

` The magazine is separated from the bot-` tom of the pile by the action of the sucker 12, Fig. 5, whlch pulls down the front end of the bottom magazine until it is between the feed rollers 24 andl gripper rollers 16', at which time the gripper rollers press the magazine into feeding engagement with the feed rollers. The lowermost magazines should normally abut against the stationary stop fingers 55. If the lowermost magazines do not abut against the fingers 55 the oscillating feed control or feeler fingers 54 will move to the left, Fig. 5, to make contact with the front edges of the said magazines, and through the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 cause the chain to operaterto feed the lowermost magazines to the rioht, Fig. 5, into contact with the stationary fingers 55. Thus the bottom magazine is positioned to be pulled downward by the sucker bar, as above described.

The pneumatic valve 29 has a valve stem 58 extending outwardly from the casing upon which is fixed an arm 59. A rod 60 controlled by the arm 61 operated by the selector mechanism 62 has its left end, Fig. 3, ar-

.ranged in operative relation tothe arm 59.

When the arm 61 is moved to the left the rod 60 moves the arm 59 and turns the valve ranged to select certain printing-devices to be orfdescription of the parts thereof will be given in this application.

Anotherarm 63 operated by the selector mechanism operates a rod 64 whichis vconnected to the finger bar 1l. When the arm V63. is moved to the left, Fig. 3, the rod 64 gives\ the finger bar l1 a part turn and moves the finger 13 so as to obstruct the feeding end of the machine and prevent magazines from being fed into the machine.

The selector mechanism correlates the oper- I ation of the sucker bar and the finger bar ifi) therewith so that the magazine will not be fed into the machine if a printing device is not fed into rinting position in the machine `or if a printing device is to be skipped.

In operation magazines are arranged on the feed chains, Fig.- 3,-wl1ich travel along the table 37, due to rotation of the chain fee-d shaft, and place the magazines on the feed shelf where they are propelled inwardly by the feed rollers, it being assumed that a printing device has been selected for printing and is in proper printing position. The finger bar rocks forward and the finger bar lingers prevent more than one magazine from being fed. Simultaneously with the movement ofv the finger bar the gripper rollrocker reciprocates and the gripper rollers clamp the magazine between the gripper rollers and the feed rollers and thev magazine is fed onto the belts and carried to printing position and then of the frame. -The machine has now gone through one cycle of operation and is againready to feedv and print another magazine.' If, however, the selector mechanism is not functioning, or a printing device is not in printing position, or certain printing devices not to be printed are fed into the machine, the selector-mechanism will operate the rods and 64 to shut off the suction in the sucker bar and to move the finger bar fingers to obstruct the feeding end of the machine yso that no magazines will be fed into the machine.

Reference has been made herein to a magazine as an example of an article to be printed in the machine but this is not to be understood restrictively because the invention is intended for use in connection with any articles for which it is or may be adapted.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the invention as set forth in the selected embodiment herein, without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the `scope of the following claims.

We claim: v

1. A feeding mechanism'for printing machines ycomprising a frame, a feed table adjacent said'frame and supporting a supply of magazines arranged-in a stack flatwise one above the other, means for feeding the bottom magazine from the stack, said means comprising devices for pulling the forward edge portion of said magazine in a downward direction, and a chain engaging the underside of the bottom magazine in the stack for ad- "vancing it into position to be engaged by said pulling means.

2. A feeding mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a feed table adjacent said frame and supporting a supply of magazines arranged in a stack iatwlse one above the other, means for feeding the bottom magazine fromthe stack, said means comprising pneumatic devices for pulling the forward edge portion of said magazine in a downward direction, and a chain engaging the underside of the bottom magazine in the stack for advancing it into position to be engaged by said pneumatic means.

3. A. feeding mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a feed table adj acent said frame and supporting a supply of magazines arranged in a stack latwise one above the other, rollers for feeding the bottom magazine from the stack, pneumatic means movable between said rollers for pulling the forward edge portion of said'magazine downward to be clamped between -said rollers, and a chain engaging the underside of the bottom 'magazine in the stack for advancing it into Aposition to be engaged by said pneumatic means.

4. Feeding l mechanism for printing machines comprising in combination, a frame, a cam shaft supported by said frame, means for operating said cam shaft, a gripper roll rocker reciprocally operated by said shaft, gripper rollers on said rocker, a feed roller shaft, means for rotating said rollerfshaft, rollers on said 'roller shaft, a table adjacent said frame, endless chains arranged on said table, means operated by the cam shaft operating means to move said chains to carry magazines to the machine, and means for causing the magazines to be placed between the feed rollers and the gripper rollers and fed into the machine. 5. Feeding mechanism comprising a frame, a cam shaft supported by saidframe, means ICJ for operating said cam shaft, a gripper roll rocker reciprocally operated by -said shaft,

magazines to the machine, and means including the sucker bar for causing the magazines to be placed'between the feed rollers and the gripper rollers and fed into the machlne.

6. Feeding mechanism for printinnr machines comprising a frame, a cam shaft supported by said frame, means for operating said cam shaft, agri per roll rocker reciprocally operated by said shaft, gripper rollers on said rocker, a feed roller shaft, means for rotating said roller shaft, rollers on said roller shaft, a table adjacent said frame, an endless chain arranged on said table, means operated by the cam shaft operating means to move sald chain to carry magazines to the machine, a sucker bar reciprocated by said cam shaft, a finger bar mounted in said frame and reciprocated by said cam shaft for preventing more than one magazine from being fed into the machine at a time, and means including the sucker bar for causing the magazine to be positioned between the feed rollers and the grippers for carrying the magazine to printing position in said machine.

7. Feeding mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a drive shaft supported by said frame, a gear on said shaft, a cam shaft arranged in said frame, a gear on said cam shaft and meshin with said first named ear for driving sa1d cam shaft, a table adJacent said frame a feed chain shaft arranged on said table, means operated by said cam shaft gear for driving said chain feed shaft, and endless chains arranged on said table and driven by said chain feed shaft for carrying magazines one at a time to printing position in the machine.

8. Feeding mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a drive shaft supported by said frame, a gear on said shaft, a cam shaft arranged in said frame, a gear on said cam shaft and meshing With said first named gear for driving said cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a feed chain shaft arranged on said table, a feed control rocker arranged in said frame, a cam lever operated by said cam shaft for operating said feed control rocker, means operated by said cam shaft gear and controlled by said feed control rocker for driving said chain feed shaft, and endless chains arranged on said table and driven by said chain feed shaft for carrying magazines to printing position in the ma chine. s

9. A feed mechanism comprising a frame,

a drive shaft, a cam\ shaft, gears communieating with said shafts to drive the cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a chain feed shaft supported by said table, chains operated by said chain feed shaft for carry ing magazines to the machine, a ratchet fixed on the last named shaft, a bell crank loosely mounted on the chain feed shaft, means for reciprocating the bell crank, a pawl on said bell crank and reciprocated thereby, a feedcontrol rocker, means for reciprocating said rocker, a cam on said chain feed shaft controlled by the feed control rocker for operating the ratchet, and means for feeding magazines to printing position.

on the machine.

10. A feed mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a drive shaft, a cam shaft, gears communicating With said shafts to drive the cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a chain feed shaft supported rocker for operating the ratchet, a gripper roller operated by said cam shaft, a feed roller supported in said frame, and means for placing the magazine between the said rollers for feeding the magazines into the machine.

11. A feed mechanism for printing machines comprising a frame, a drive shaft, a cam shaft, gears communicating with said shafts to drive the cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a chain feed shaft supported by said table, chains on said table and operated by the chain feed shaft for carrying magazines, a ratchet fixed on said last named `ilshaft, a bell crank looselymounted on said chain feed shaft, means for reciprocating said bell crank, a pavvl on said bell crank and reciprocated thereby, a feed control rocker, means for reciprocating said rocker, a cam on said chain feed shaft controlled by the feed control rocker for' operating the ratchet, a'

gripper roller operated by said cam shaft, a feed roller supported in said frame, a sucker bar mounted in said frame, means for reciprocating vthe sucker bar, and means for causing the sucker bar to place a magazine between the said rollers for feeding the magazine into the machine.

12. A feed mechanism comprising a frame, a driving shaft, a cam shaft, gears communieating with said shafts -to drive the cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a chain feed shaft supported by said table, chains arranged on'the table and operated by the chain feed shaft for carrying magazines to the machine, a ratchet fixed on the last named shaft, a bell crank loosely mounted on the chain feed shaft, means for reciprocating the bell crank, a pavvl on said bell crank and reciprocated thereby, a feed control rocker, means for reciprocating said rocker, a cam on said chain feed shaft controlled by the feed control rocker for operating the ratchet, a nger bar, ngers on said bar for preventing more than one magazine from beinnfed at one time, means for operating the ger bar, a gripper roller, means connecting the gripper roller and the cam shaft for reciprocating the gripper roller, a feed roller, means for operating the feed roller, a sucker bar for causing a magazine to be placed between said rollers for feeding the magazine into the machine, and means for reciprocating the sucker bar.

13. A feed mechanism comprising a frame, a driving shaft, a cam shaft, gears communicating with said shafts to drive the cam shaft, a table adjacent said frame, a chain feed shaft supported by said table, chains arranged on said table and operated by the chain feed shaft for carrying magazines to. the machine, a ratchet xed on the last named shaft,a bell crank loosely mounted on the chain feed shaft, means for reciprocating the bell crank, a pawl o n said bell crank and reciprocated thereby, Ya feed control rocker, means for reciprocating said rocker, a cam on said chain feed shaft and controlled by the feed control rocker for operating the ratchet, a linger bar, fingers on said bar for preventing more than one magazine from being fed at one time, means for reciprocating the finger bar, a gripper roller, means connecting the gripper roller and the cam shaft for reciprocating the gripper roller, a feed roller, means for operating the feed roller, a sucker bar, means for reciprocating the sucker bar, and means for causing a suction in said bar upon one movement of the bar for causing a magazine to be placed between the,

rollers and for shutting off the suction upon reverse movement of the bar so as to release the magazines and allowing it to pass through the machine.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN. HENRY E. 'HUBBABIl 

